S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N How to Improve Safety in Public Spaces in Bogota, Colombia: An Assessment of the United Nations Safer Cities Program Thesis by Paola Duran www.paoladuran.com
ISSUE In 2013, 40% of women in Colombia stated that they were victims of any type of violence in public spaces, such as parks, public transportation, and streets. “When I have to work overtime at night, I often feel afraid of robbery, rape and harassment because it’s very dark on the way back home.” S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
KEY CONCEPTS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN SAFER CITIES PROGRAM GOAL Make cities safer for women and girls based on local initiatives in connection with government policy-making. SAFER CITIES PROGRAM 1996- UN Habitat 2010- UN Women Global Initiative “Safe Cities Free of Violence against Women and Girls” 2011- UN Habitat + UN Women + UNICEF “Safe and Sustainable Cities for All” S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
TIMELINE - INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS Universal Colombia: Declaration Adoption of UN General of Human CEDAW’s Assembly on Rights principles the CEDAW 1948 1979 1981 1946 1975 1985 1980 Nairobi: 3rd Brazil Comission on Mexico: 1st Copenhagen: Conference Costa Rica the State World Con- 2nd World Beijing: 4th Honduras on Women Ten Year Review Bogota Safer of Women ference on Conference Conference Kenya Cities is im- of Beijing Confer- Women on Women on Women Lebanon ence plemented Morocco 1995 2005 2011 Philippines Tajikistan Ecuador 1994 2010 2000 2015 Egypt Fifteen Year Twenty Year Belem do Special Ses- India Review Bei- Review Bei- Para, Brazil - sion: Five Year Papua jing Confer- jing Confer- VAW New Guinea Review ence ence Rwanda S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
CONTEXT 60 years of Armed Conflict in Colombia COLOMBIA 5.5 Million displaced 2.7 Million Women Bogota: Largest Receptor BOGOTA Population 2013 SUBA Colombia: 47 Million Bogota: 8.4 Million Women: 52.2% S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
GOAL Analyze the effectiveness of the Safer Cities Program in Bogota, Colombia based on the Borough of Suba experience to develop recommendations towards a safer city for women and girls in Bogota. S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
OBJECTIVES 1 2 Discuss and review literature about Explore issues at the local level re- gender, women, and safety issues at garding women’s safety to under- the international, national and local stand how Bogota, Colombia is level. acting in terms of gender security, by analyzing the Suba case study. Critically review the United Nations Analyze Suba’s implementation of 3 4 Safer Cities Program implementa- the program to determine specific tion in Suba and its relation to wom- recommendations in order to im- en’s safety Bogota, Colombia. prove its outcomes for future itera- tions. S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
LITERATURE REVIEW I. c. 1. Gender and Planning i. Public Space and Transportation ii. Right to the City iii. Public Participation I. c. 2. Violence Against Women in Relation to Public Space i. Domestic/Private ii. Public S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
METHODOLOGY OBJECTIVES WHAT METHOD Discuss and review literature about How have these issues Review of literature and gender, women, and safety issues at the been addressed over time? Interviews international, national and local level. Explore issues at the local level regard- What programs have been imple- Data collection, in - ing women’s safety to understand how mented to improve women’s depth literature review Bogota, Colombia is acting in terms of safety conditions? What is the gov- analysis and interviews gender security, by analyzing the Suba ernment doing towards safer case study. cities in Bogota, any initiatives? Critically review the United Nations What are the program’s goals, Existing conditions, Safer Cities Program implementation challenges, and achievements and Case study analysis and in Suba and its relation to women’s its relation to women’s safety in Interviews. safety Bogota, Colombia. Bogota? Analyze Suba’s implementation of the What recommendations can be Documentation, analy- program to determine specific recom- provided to improve the existing sis and findings, assess- mendations in order to improve its out- efforts? ment of other cases. comes for future iterations. S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
INTERVIEWEES JANNETH LOZANO HORACIO JOSE SERPA JAN PETERSON CODACOP - Director Local Councils for Women’s Safety HUAIROU Commission - Chair RACHEL WYANT LUCY CARDONA LUZ AMPARO JIMENEZ HUAIROU Commission Women’s Secretariat AVP - Advisor Governance Campaign Senior Advisor Coordinator S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Chapter I a. Introduction and Issue Statement b. Goal and Objectives c. Literature Review d. Methodology e. Organization of the Thesis II. Chapter II a. UN-HABITAT Safer Cities Program b. Women’s Safety Initiatives in Bogota, Colombia III. Chapter III a. Safer Cities Program in Bogota, Colombia (SUBA case) b. Analysis of the Case Study (Suba) c. Analysis of the Interviews IV. Conclusions and Recommendations S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
SAFER CITIES Safer Cities Methodology What is the Safer Cities Program? It is designed to support cities in the FOCUS GROUP Train grassroots women: VAW, prevention of urban crime and the en- crime and local governance hancement of urban safety strategies Map unsafe places of their PARTICIPATORY MAPPING (physical interventions). neighborhoods Key partners: Local Government, Wom- Exploratory walks to WOMEN’S SAFETY AUDITS en’s groups, Local entities assess mapped places To increase safety and raise RECOMMENDATIONS Raise awareness on gender and vio- awareness. To local authori- lence ties INTERVENTIONS Physical and Educational Funds were given to Local Governments or NGO’s to develop the program Full Documentation and EVALUATION Assessment 2014 : 77 cities in 24 countries S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
POLICY FRAMEWORK IN COLOMBIA Women Equal Partici- Peace Makers pation for 1st policy for Policy Women women Policy 1984 1994 2003 1981 1991 1999 2012 Equal Oppo- National Policy CEDAW National Con- tunities for on Gender stitution Women Equality (10 Policy Year Plan INSTITUTIONS NATIONAL LEVEL Ministry for Women (1990 - 1994) Office for the Equality of Women (1994 - 1998) Presidential Office for Gender (1994 - Present) INSTITUTIONS LOCAL LEVEL Women’s Secretariat (2014 - 2015) Local Councils for Women’s Safety (2014 - 2015) S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
BOROUGH OF SUBA SUBA Illegal Settlements Population of 1.2M (2013) 53% Women USAQUEN 70% Low/middle-income resi- dents (USD$250 per month for BARRIOS a family 4) CHIA UNIDOS 25% Very-low income (less than $250/month) 5% High income Commercial (~$2,000/month) VERY LOW INCOME LOW INCOME Average income in Bogota MIDDLE LOW INCOME MIDDLE INCOME (~$400) COTA MIDDLE HIGH INCOME ENGATIVA HIGH INCOME Median age in Suba: 30 years PROTECTED AREAS DISPLACED POPULATION RURAL AREAS old (Bogota:29) Bogota: 16,732 in 2010 Suba: 30% (Women - 50.5%) S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
BOROUGH OF SUBA Transmilenio TRANSPORTATION Network SUBA 72% users of Transmilenio USAQUEN in Bogota (1.5 M) 5% in Suba (75.000) ENGATIVA FONTIBON Lack of coverage CHAPINERO BOSA 64% Women have reported sexual SANTA FE SOACHA harassment in Transmilenio SAN C. CIUDAD BOLIVAR S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
SUBA, Safer Cities Why in Suba? Residential area near vacant lots with limited lighting Important presence of and risky conditions VAW: for women 200 monthly cases (2,600 in Bogota) AVP: (Housing Associat- Limited access to public transportation + tion) VAW reported cases Launched in 2011 S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
SUBA, Safer Cities 35 Women received training: FOCUS GROUP VAW, local government struc- ture PARTICIPATORY MAPPING Women mapped unsafe areas in Suba Exploratory walks were WOMEN’S SAFETY AUDITS performed by women Women developed a set of RECOMMENDATIONS recommendations present- ed to local authorities INTERVENTIONS Interventions were not de- veloped This stage is missing EVALUATION S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
SUBA, Safer Cities Participatory Mapping Red Spots: Unsafe spaces identified by women S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
CONCLUSIONS Weaknesses Achievements - The program was developed by AVP and - A group of women were educated about not by a grassroots group their rights and types of violence present in Suba - Outreach campaigns about the program were only developed in strategic spaces - Women’s safety in public spaces made (selected Transmilenio stations) and not visible at the local level through campaigns in the city at large in public transportation - People in the community of Suba did - Valuable recommendations were created not recognize the program from the focus group - Documentation process has not been completed after almost 4 years S A F E R C I T I E S F O R W O M E N
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